Mark Mannis, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science and the UC Davis Eye Center, recently was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the National University of San Marcos (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos) in Lima, Peru.

The University of San Marcos, founded in 1551, is the oldest continuously running university in the Americas. It is the largest and most prestigious university in Peru. Mannis joined an illustrious cadre of previous awardees that include, among others, the president of Spain in 2009 and Nobel Laureate Peter Agre in 2008.

Mannis receive the award in recognition of his contributions to clinical ophthalmic science, eye banking and Latin American ophthalmology. He received the medallion given to recipients of the honorary doctorate and addressed the convocation in Spanish, citing the intrinsic role that universities and, specifically, medical schools have played in modern civilization.